John Bingham, religious affairs editor
21 MAY 2016 • 7:19PM
Christians should not talk to people about their faith unless they are actively invited to do so, the Archbishop of Canterbury has insisted.

The Most Rev Justin Welby, said enthusiastic members of his flock should not to be afraid to talk about Christianity in a more secular society but advised them to listen to others before saying anything and, crucially, to wait until they are asked.

Under Archbishop Welby, the Church of England has recently launched what is being viewed as its biggest evangelism drive in a generation in an effort to reverse decades of decline.

Archbishop of Canterbury
CREDIT: ANTHONY DEVLIN/PA
As part of an initiative spearheaded by Archbishop Welby and the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, churches across England were asked to devote the nine-day period leading up to Pentecost last weekend to a special period of prayer for religious revival.

It culminated in events last Sunday in which some of England’s most famous cathedrals including Canterbury, Durham, Winchester, Ely and St Paul’s, London were given over to rock concerts-style music. In St Paul’s five bishops were photographed dancing in their cassocks.

It is all based around loving the person you are dealing with
Archbishop of Canterbury
But speaking at a reception for leaders of other faiths in the garden of Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop insisted Christians should not actively “proselytise” non-Christians.

Asked where he drew the line between evangelism and proselytism.

He said: “I draw the line in terms of respect for the other; in starting by listening before you speak; in terms of love that is unconditional and not conditional to one iota, to one single element on how the person responds to your own declaration of faith; and of not speaking about faith unless you are asked about faith.

“That’s a shorthand but I could go on.

“I draw a pretty sharp line, it is all based around loving the person you are dealing with which means you seek their well-being and you respect their identity and their integrity.”

We've seen a very sharp rise over the last year or so in antisemitic expression - absolutely intolerable
Archbishop of Canterbury
The gathering, attended by the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, and dozens of prominent Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, and Hindu representatives, also heard details of local inter-faith community projects.

The Archbishop insisted that there is a growing acceptance of what he called a “faith-based view of the world” that he said should not be written off a “medieval hangover”.

Justin Welby's secret father revealedPlay! 00:55
But he added that racism and attitudes such as antisemism were “embedded” in British culture and must be tackled.

He said: “We've seen a very sharp rise over the last year or so in antisemitic expression - absolutely intolerable.

“It seems to me that at the root it is almost the paradigm for the way in which we in Britain, over the last 1,000 years, we have learnt how to do racism.

“It is a deep shame that it is ever anywhere. I am not looking at any political party, it is deeply embedded in so much of our culture in this country… and many of you will have experienced that.

“But particularly it comes out like a lightening conductor attracts the static electricity.

“Attacks on mosques, dangerous political rhetoric, playing with words that raise tensions.

“The unthinking, ignorant, fearful nature of much phobia about different faith traditions.

“The false perception of people living parallel lives. Here we are together, scarcely parallel lives.

I take it the appended word 'apostate' is not in the telegraph article.
I think you need to be careful with that word personally.

"Whited sepulchre" might also be appropriate.

"For i am not ashamed of the gospel of jesus christ..it is the power of god unto salvation"

I sometimes wonder if welby and bishops and archbishops ever were in tbe faith to depart from it. Wearing mitres and all the garb seems so far from christianity of the bible._________________JO911B.
"for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places " Eph.6 v 12

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